ST. LOUIS – Drivers who use Interstate 44 near I-55 will need to allow themselves extra time or consider alternate routes as MoDOT will start reducing lanes near Jefferson next week.
Monday, February 10, crews will have the right lane closed on westbound I-44 at Jefferson between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. for work on the shoulder. At 6 a.m., the ramp from Lafayette to westbound I-44 will close; and will remain closed until the end of the year.
Tuesday, February 11, starting at 7 p.m. crews will close the ramp from northbound I-55 to westbound I-44. At 8 p.m. crews will close the left lane on the westbound I-44 ramp. When the ramps reopen at 5 a.m. Wednesday, February 12, westbound I-44 traffic will have only two lanes. In addition, drivers on the northbound I-55 ramp will not be able to access Jefferson through the end of the year– they will have to exit onto Lafayette or Grand.
Tuesday night through Friday night, 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night, crews will begin placing barrier wall to shift eastbound traffic onto the westbound lanes. During that time, traffic will detour to Truman.
All work is weather permitting.
The project will replace both the westbound and eastbound I-44 bridges over Jefferson. Ultimately, drivers will have two westbound lanes and three eastbound lanes through the project. Several other ramps will close for reconstruction for about a month each. Traffic will shift onto the westbound side until late June for the first portion of the project to replace the eastbound bridge. In June, traffic will move to the newly completed eastbound bridge through December.
When the project is completed, crews will resurface the interstate between Compton and I-55. That is expected to be complete in spring 2021.